Unexpected Moonlight Experiences
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: A few slight changes to a certain night of the full moon in Harry's third Hogwarts year - with consequences. Completely AU from that moonlight night onwards. Partly OOC, sick!Harry
1. Chapter 1

**Unexpected Moonlight Experiences**

**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

_I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

-----

_**

* * *

Prologue**_

Harry stood next to his godfather beside the lake casting one Patronus after the other at the Dementors that were threatening to suck him into oblivion. Completely engrossed in his attempts he did not notice the professor in form of a werewolf that quickly approached them from behind.

Remus sensed meat and strode towards the lake. Without thinking he buried his teeth into the younger human's robes, before he quickly let off, sensing that an inner voice, which he could not understand, told him that these humans were not hunting objects.

Harry felt that something scratched his left wrist but was distracted a mere instant later when a figure that looked like his father cast a powerful Patronus from the other side of the lake. The Dementors fled and Harry drifted off into peaceful unconsciousness. He neither noticed that a few drops of blood came out of the scratch on his wrist, nor could he know that exactly an hour earlier, when they were using the time turner, Hermione had asked him where he had received the scratch.

"I have no idea," Harry had replied and dismissed the thought since his wrist felt completely normal and didn't hurt at all. '_Otherwise Madam Pomfrey would have mended it when I was in the hospital wing_,' he had thought and concentrated on the task of freeing a hippogriff.

* * *

満月の経験

Two weeks later, Harry suddenly began to feel strange. At first, he sensed that he was tired but dismissed it to the thought that he hadn't slept enough due to Quidditch practice, homework and preparation for the end of year tests. However, on Saturday morning, two days before the beginning of the test week, he began to feel outright ill. Each of his limbs ached slightly, his whole body felt sore, he had a headache that worsened by the hour and he felt a bit nauseated. '_I hope I'm not getting sick right before the test week_,' he thought, terrified. '_This is like when I had the flu a few years ago_.'

"Harry!" Hermione's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

'_She smells nice_,' he noticed, '_like flowers_.' "What?" he asked absentmindedly.

"Are you feeling all right?" his friend asked in concern. "You don't look good."

"I'm fine," Harry replied quietly.

"Let's go for a walk," Ron threw in. "Even the two of you can't study all day."

"I'm going to take a short nap," Harry said and retreated to his dormitory, unaware of the worried looks his friends cast at him. Unfortunately, he didn't feel in the slightest better when he woke up in the morning. '_I'm just going to stay in bed today until Hermione chases me out because we have to study_,' he thought and turned around to face the wall, noticing that his body felt very heavy. '_I wonder where Sirius is. It would be nice to spend the holidays with him_,' he thought, hoping for a wonder to happen so that he wouldn't have to go back to the Dursleys' in a week's time. '_I just hope I'll feel better by then; otherwise, I won't be able to finish my chores_.'

Ron came to wake him up at lunchtime. "Get up you lazybones; it's lunchtime, and we have to study for the Transfiguration test afterwards."

"Give me a few minutes. I'm coming," Harry replied and slowly scrambled out of bed. A few minutes later, he dragged himself down to the common room. From the stairs he could already smell that Hermione was waiting for them in the common room. '_Strange_,' he mused, '_I can smell things better than normal. Maybe someone cast a prank spell at me_.' He slowly followed his friends to the Great Hall, unaware that Hermione was observing him in concern.

When Harry sat between his friends at the Gryffindor table, he realised to his surprise that he was ravenous in spite of feeling sick and nauseous. He wolfed down two large portions of shepherd's pie, before he laid his fork down on the plate and let out a long sigh. '_Ginny smells nice_,' he thought, absentmindedly looking up when he suddenly felt Hermione's hand on his arm.

"Harry, you look sick. Let me take you to the hospital wing so that Madam Pomfrey can check on you," she said in a soft voice, giving him a sharp look.

"I'm fine. My head hurts a bit is all," Harry replied, feeling very uncomfortable when the girl placed the back of her cool hand on his forehead.

"You feel a bit warm but not overly so," she said thoughtfully.

"Hermione, please don't do such things here in the Great Hall," Harry whispered in annoyance that only intensified when he realised that his Head of House was now heading straight to them.

"Mr. Potter, is everything all right?" the teacher asked sternly.

"Yes Professor," Harry replied.

"He hasn't been feeling well since yesterday," Hermione spoke up, glaring at Harry.

"I'm only tired because we studied so much," Harry lied.

McGonagall gave him a sharp look and said, "Ms. Granger, if Mr. Potter doesn't feel better later on, please take him to the hospital wing."

"I will," Hermione promised eagerly, causing Harry to inwardly groan.

The three friends retreated to the common room and began to study for their Transfiguration test that was going to take place in the morning. Unfortunately, Harry's condition didn't improve in the slightest, which didn't go unnoticed by his observing friend.

"Harry, let's go to the hospital wing to get something for your headache," she said firmly, knowing from the lack of protest that it had to be more than a simple headache that was bothering him.

Feeling too miserable to protest, Harry grudgingly followed his friends to the hospital wing, hoping that Madam Pomfrey would quickly give him a potion that solved his problems and let him go. However, when they reached the Mediwitch's domain, a parchment that was stuck to the door caught their eyes.

'_Dear students,  
due to a mass outbreak of the wizard's flu I am needed at St. Mungo's for the time being. Professor Snape will substitute for me. If he is not in the hospital wing, please find him in his office.  
Poppy Pomfrey_'

"Forget it," Harry sighed.

"But..."

"No. Let's go. It's dinner time."

Once again Harry wondered why he had such an appetite in spite of feeling unwell. Nevertheless, his Head of House came over to the Gryffindor table when he had just finished his meal and sat at the table with his achy head popped up on his fists.

"Mr. Potter, did you go to the hospital wing? You don't look any better to me."

Harry cringed at the stern voice. "It's not so bad. I didn't want to bother Professor Snape," he replied in a small voice, hoping not to attract everyone's attention.

"Very well then, please come with me," McGonagall replied sternly and unobtrusively nodded towards her colleague at the Head table, before she led Harry towards the hospital wing. She made Harry lie down on the first bed next to Madam Pomfrey's office, noticing from the corner of her eyes that Harry let out a relieved sigh as he stretched out on the bed. "We'll have to wait for Professor Snape," she said softly. "In the meantime, I'm going to take your temperature." She fetched a magical thermometer from the office and coaxed it under Harry's tongue. "It won't take long," she said soothingly, noticing that he seemed to feel very uncomfortable.

A few seconds later, yellow letters emerged from the tip of the glassy stick, '_37.5'_. The professor sighed. "Your temperature is slightly elevated, but it's not a fever, at least not yet. What exactly is ailing you?"

"My head and my whole body hurt," Harry admitted, just when Professor Snape strode into the hospital wing with his robes billowing behind him.

The Potions Master shooed Hermione and Ron out of the way and raised an eye at his older colleague. "Did Mr. Potter decide to try wriggling his way out of his tests?" he sneered.

Harry looked up in shock, but before he could even think of something to reply, Professor McGonagall said firmly, "Severus, if I might remind you, I was the one who brought Mr. Potter here. Apparently he did not wish to bother you."

"Very well then," the Slytherin replied and began to wave his wand over the boy.

"Apart from a slightly elevated temperature I can't find anything wrong," he said after a while. "What exactly seems to be the problem?"

"Everything hurts, but it's all right; I'm fine," Harry replied.

"Could it be the beginning of the flu?" McGonagall asked, and Snape once more waved his wand.

"No," he said finally, "at least not the wizard's flu. It's probably just a cold. I'll give Mr. Potter a Pepperup potion and he should be fine." He summoned a small phial from the potions shelf and handed it to Harry. "Drink and return to your dormitory. This should make you feel well enough to attend your test in the morning."

"Thank you, sir," Harry mumbled and quickly downed the potion, noticing that it only helped so much.

"Better?" the Gryffindor head queried, eyeing him in concern.

"Yes, thank you," Harry lied, eager to get away from the grumpy Potions Master.

"Very well then, please take Mr. Potter back to Gryffindor and make sure that he goes straight to bed," McGonagall said, turning to Hermione.

"So Harry doesn't have to study tonight?" Ron pouted, causing Hermione and her Head of House to shake their heads in disbelief.

"I'm sure Mr. Potter will be able to manage his Transfiguration test without studying tonight," McGonagall said, smiling, as she gently helped Harry out of the hospital wing.

満月の経験

In the morning, Harry didn't feel any better; however, the thought of going to the hospital wing in order to let himself be ridiculed by the Potions professor was not too appealing, and Harry preferred to attend classes, although he doubted that he would be able to receive good marks in any of his tests. To his relief, the written Transfiguration test went fairly well, although he had problems concentrating, especially as he had the impression as if the teacher was watching him like a hawk to make sure that he was all right. At least the questions that he had to answer were easy for someone who had spent the last weeks studying together with Hermione.

However, from the afternoon test onwards, everything went downhill. The practical part of the Transfiguration test wasn't difficult either; however, Harry could hardly lift his arm and only managed to properly cast half of the required spells.

"Harry, are you still feeling sick?" McGonagall asked in concern.

"A bit," Harry admitted. "I'm sorry for messing up."

The teacher thoughtfully cleared her throat. "You didn't mess up; however, your performance was in no way as good as normal. Please go to the hospital wing again as soon as the last afternoon class is over. I'll ask Professor Snape..."

"No Professor," Harry vehemently interrupted his Head of House. "I won't go to see Professor Snape again. It's not that bad and I'll be fine."

The teacher gave him a stern look and carefully felt his forehead, making sure that it didn't feel overly hot to the touch. "Very well," she finally said. "Try to get as much rest as possible, and if you don't feel well in the morning, come to me, so that I can excuse you with your teachers."

Harry profusely thanked his Head of House and returned to his common room, where he made himself comfortable on a sofa in front of the fireplace. '_If this continues, I'm going to screw up all of my tests_,' he thought sadly. '_I wonder what's wrong with me. Too bad that Madam Pomfrey isn't here. I'm sure she wouldn't think that I came to see her in order to get out of my tests_.'

The following two days were horrible. On Tuesday, the third years had their Defence Against the Dark Arts test. While the theoretical test was all right, Harry failed the practical test. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Professor Lupin wanted to speak with him; however, he hurriedly left the room, not wanting to be sent to Professor Snape again.

During the Charms test on Wednesday, Harry didn't have much luck either. Wondering why Harry didn't manage to cast any of the charms, which he had been able to flawlessly cast in his class, Professor Flitwick asked Harry to cast the Patronus charm, knowing that his younger colleague had taught the boy. However, Harry's wand arm felt so heavy that Harry couldn't put enough magic in it to cast such a strong charm.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I don't feel so well today," he finally said, unable to come up with any other explanation.

"You should have told me before your test; however, I believe you and I'll arrange with Professor McGonagall that you can re-take this test at a later time," the professor promised and released Harry with the instruction to go and see Professor Snape.

Harry dragged himself back to his dormitory and went straight to bed. When his friends, who checked on him every now and then in concern, went to dinner, he called Dobby and asked him to bring something to eat for him, glad when Dobby complied without asking any questions. He was just about to drift off to sleep, when Hermione and Ron re-entered the dormitory.

"Harry, the twins went to the hospital wing and nicked a Pepperup and a dreamless sleep potion for you," Hermione explained, while Ron handed him two small phials.

"Tell them I said thank you please," Harry said gratefully and quickly gulped down both potions, sighing in relief as he succumbed to the effects of the dreamless sleep potion.

However, a few hours later, Harry felt himself being pulled out of his blissful sleep when an immense pain shot through his body as he transformed into a wolf. '_Everything hurts_,' was the only thing Harry realised as he continued to sleep.

_tbc…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Unexpected Moonlight Experiences**

**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

_I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes. Thank you very much for your kind comments!  
_

-----

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Harry woke up when his body once again erupted in pain early in the morning. If he had felt like crap during the last few days, he felt absolutely miserable now. '_I had strange dreams last night_,' he mused as he dragged himself to the Potions classroom, steadied by Hermione and Ron on either side, knowing that he could not miss his Potions test.

"Harry, as soon as the afternoon Potions test is over, you're going to go to the hospital wing," Hermione informed him in a stern voice after observing him struggling to keep himself upright to write his theoretical test.

Feeling too miserable to fight with his energetic friend, Harry agreed. However, it didn't take until after the test, before he failed to keep himself upright and knocked his head against the cauldron, causing his half finished potion to spread all over his face.

In the blink of an eye, the professor was at his side, banishing the remains of the liquid except from that inside the cauldron, before he hissed, "Potter, you dunderhead."

"'m sorry," Harry mumbled weakly, trying to focus on the situation.

"Now come on," Snape said impatiently, motioning for Harry to follow him into his office. "I don't have all day. I'll check on you after the class. Stay put here," he said, making Harry lie down on a sofa, which he quickly conjured in his office.

Harry gratefully obeyed. '_I didn't think that I could still feel worse than this morning_,' he mused in exhaustion, shivering violently in the cold air of the dungeons, while the professor retreated to the classroom.

When Harry woke up from a fevered dream, Professors Snape and McGonagall were standing at his side.

"I can't look after Potter and brew the counter potion for him at the same time. It's bad enough that I have to look after Lupin the whole day after his night as a werewolf," Snape growled.

"Werewolf?" Harry mumbled sleepily. "I was a wolf too last night."

"Shh shh, it's all right, Harry. You're delirious," McGonagall said soothingly. "Severus, if you can't find out what is wrong with Harry, we must call Poppy back. We can't send him to the Dursleys in his condition."

"Potter will be fine. He merely had a cold, but he tried everything to wriggle himself out of his Potions test," Snape growled. "Since he now managed to bathe his face in an unfinished potion of the Echnathia draught, he is probably suffering from the effects of the unbalanced combination of asphodel and frog liver. Potter, do you by chance remember if you already inserted the moon fern?"

"No sir, I don't think so, sir," Harry replied wearily.

The Potions Master let out a long sigh. "Well then, he'll probably suffer from magical overflow along with a high fever for a week or two. You can't send him home to his Muggle family in this condition. It would be too dangerous for everyone near him. You'll have to keep him here for at least two weeks."

"All right, Severus, if you tell me exactly what I can do to help Harry and promise to check on him as often as necessary, I'll take him with me to my quarters and look after him until you deem him well enough to go home," McGonagall said swiftly.

Slowly drifting back to sleep, Harry didn't hear the Potions Master's reply. When he woke up he found himself in a most comfortable bed in a small, unknown room. Professor McGonagall was sitting on the edge of his bed, reading an old tome.

"Pfessor," he mumbled sleepily, noticing that he felt much better than ever before during the last two weeks.

"Hello Harry, how're you feeling?" McGonagall asked softly, leaning over to feel his forehead.

"Much better. I haven't felt so well during the last two weeks," Harry replied.

"I'm glad to hear that, although you're probably not out of the woods yet. Professor Snape assumes that the after effects of the potion might last up to two weeks. Therefore, the Headmaster, Professor Snape and I decided to keep you here for two more weeks. You're in the guest room of my quarters, and I am your guardian while you're at Hogwarts during the holidays," the teacher explained quietly.

"Really? I can stay at Hogwarts and don't have to return to the Dursleys for two more weeks?" Harry asked in excitement. "That's great. Thank you so much, Professor."

"You're welcome, Harry. Now let me quickly check on you and if you feel well enough you may get up. However, since your overflowing magic might burst out at anytime, you must remain within my quarters, until the students go home on Saturday. My quarters will be your home for the time being. You're excused from your remaining tests, and you will have the chance to re-do all of your tests after your complete recovery in two weeks' time."

満月の経験

During the following two weeks, Harry thoroughly enjoyed himself. He felt well and didn't have any problems with magic outbursts like Professor Snape had prognosticated. After the students returned home, he was allowed to roam the castle, use the library and even ride on his broom, although Professor McGonagall forbade him to fly without an adult nearby. At the end of the second week, Harry had already completed his summer assignments and was well prepared for his tests, which he absolved with top grades.

On the evening of his last test day, McGonagall came into his room like she did every evening to say good night. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I'm afraid that you will have to return to the Dursleys tomorrow. It is Professor Dumbledore's order, and there is nothing I can do against it."

"I understand," Harry said sadly. "Professor, these two weeks were the best holidays that I ever had. Thank you very much."

"You're welcome, Harry, and please believe me when I tell you that I'd prefer to keep you here all the time. I don't want you to go back to these horrid Muggles," the professor said quietly, gently brushing an errand strand of hair from his face.

満月の経験

In the morning, Professor McGonagall and Harry walked down to Hogsmeade, from where the teacher apparated them to Little Whinging. "Take good care of yourself, Harry, and if you have any problems, if you get sick again or if they don't treat you well, just send Hedwig to me and I'll come and check on you," McGonagall advised him, before she pressed the bell at the Dursleys' entrance door.

"I'll do so," Harry promised, unaware of how soon he would have to seek the professor's help.

It was only three days after his return to the Dursleys' residence that he began to feel tired and sick again. Just like four weeks earlier, his limbs began to ache and he felt more tired by the day. At first, he dismissed the idea of contacting the teacher; however, seeing that his condition seemed to take the same course like the last time, he decided to ask for help. '_If it gets as bad as the last time, maybe I won't survive Uncle Vernon, especially as I won't be able to do my chores anymore_,' he thought and wrote a quick letter to his Head of House, before he headed into the garden to begin with his chores.

Early in the evening when Harry had just returned to his room after preparing dinner for the Dursleys, Professor McGonagall popped into his room together with Madam Pomfrey. "Hello Mr. Potter," the Mediwitch greeted him gently. "What exactly is wrong?"

Harry told her everything and also said how his condition had steadily worsened the last time until he had the Potions accident, after which he had felt much better. During his explanation, the Mediwitch's expression turned from compassion over concern to confusion. Shaking her head in puzzlement, she began to wave her wand over the boy. It was forty minutes later, when she finally spoke up thoughtfully. "I can't find anything wrong except for the ailments you mentioned. However, they don't make sense, especially not in combination with your potions accident."

"I can smell much better than before by the way, and I'm always hungry, even if I feel sick," Harry threw in, causing the Mediwitch to gasp.

"Harry, you have not been bitten by a werewolf, have you?" she asked urgently.

Harry threw her a terrified look, before he remembered, "I changed into a wolf the other night, or at least that was what I thought, but Professor McGonagall told me I was delirious."

Shock flashed in the adults' eyes for an instant, until Madam Pomfrey once more waved her wand over Harry. "Yes, you have caught lycanthropy," she then confirmed. "You must have been bitten by Professor Lupin the other night."

Professor McGonagall, whose face had turned white at the revelation, spoke up firmly, "Harry, gather your belongings, I'm going to take you back to Hogwarts. You can't remain here; even the Headmaster has to accept it in this case. I'm going to become your permanent guardian."

'_She wants to become my guardian? Although I'm a werewolf?_' Harry thought in confusion, unable to move.

"What I don't understand is the connection to the Potions accident," Pomfrey said thoughtfully. "Is it possible that Mr. Potter discovered something that is able to help the werewolf overcome the aftermath of the transformation? Mr. Potter, are you willing to work together with Professor Snape and me on this matter in order to try improving your condition?"

Harry let out a small snort. "Of course, Madame, but Professor Snape won't be willing to work together with me. He hates me with a passion."

_tbc..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Unexpected Moonlight Experiences**

**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

_I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes. Thank you very much for your kind comments!  
_

-----

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Back at Hogwarts, the two witches led Harry into the guest room, where he had spent the first two weeks of the holidays, and McGonagall said, "From now on this is your room, Harry. You will live here in our quarters during the holidays, and you're free to return here at any time during the school year. It is your home now."

"Thank you so much, Professor," Harry said gratefully.

"You're welcome, Harry, and you don't have to call me Professor during the holidays. When no one else is around, you may call me Minerva."

"Professor... err... Minerva," Harry began hesitantly, "I'm sorry, but I don't understand. Why are you willing to put up with me and even become my permanent guardian, although..." He slowly trailed off, uncertainly averting his eyes to the floor.

"Harry, from the time when you were born, you have always been like a grandson to me. I often baby-sat you when you were a baby, and I don't have different feelings now. Of course I can't play favourites during the school year, but that's a different matter."

Harry thanked the professor profusely, before he turned to the Mediwitch, who had silently observed the scene in obvious amusement. "Madam Pomfrey, there is nothing that can be done about my aching limbs, is there?"

The Healer sadly shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Potter. I can only offer to give you potions if the pain becomes too bad or your have a fever, and I can excuse you with your teachers if you feel too miserable to attend classes. However, I suggest that we ask Professor Snape if he is willing to try finding a solution to make you feel better. If anyone is able to help you in any way, it will be him."

Harry groaned. "He'll only ridicule me and despise me even more than before if that's possible," he mumbled.

"I suggest that we call Professors Snape and Dumbledore and speak with them right away," McGonagall suggested and motioned for Harry and the Mediwitch to make themselves comfortable in the living room.

Feeling very reassured by the presence of the two kind witches, Harry sat next to Pomfrey on the sofa, while his new guardian headed to the fireplace to summon her colleagues. A few minutes later, the Headmaster and the Potions Master arrived and sat in the chairs on the opposite side.

"Why is Harry here?" Dumbledore queried, and Harry noticed that his eyes were void of their usual twinkle, although the Headmaster offered him a lemon drop, which normally was a good sign.

"We found out that Mr. Potter has lycanthropy an hour ago," Madam Pomfrey explained. "Therefore, Minerva and I decided that it would be too dangerous if he remained with his Muggle family and brought him here. Minerva offered to become his permanent guardian as she already is his guardian ten months out of twelve."

Harry noticed an emotion flash over Snape's face, but it straightened to his usual blank mask instantly. '_Was that fear?_' he wondered. '_Is he so mean because he is afraid of werewolves?_'

"Leave it to Potter to become bitten by Lupin," Snape drawled. "If he thinks that I'm going to brew the Wolfsbane for him every month, he is sadly mistaken."

"It's all right, sir. I don't need it. I'll just spend the nights of the full moon in the Shrieking Shack," Harry threw in quickly.

"I'd think about the matter if I were you, Severus," Madam Pomfrey said quietly. "Do you remember the Potions accident Mr. Potter had on the day after the night of the full moon? Apparently, after the first two hours of feeling miserable, the effects of the potion he ingested helped him to overcome the aftermath of the full moon. That might have been by chance, but I believe that it is worth some research, and Mr. Potter kindly agreed to work together with you on the matter."

The Potions Master quirked an eyebrow. "Poppy, don't try to make me believe that a dunderhead like Mr. Potter, who doesn't even notice if he transforms into a werewolf, would be able to help researching a potion."

"I noticed and I told you, but you dismissed the matter because you thought I was delirious," Harry spoke up heatedly.

"This is strange though," the Headmaster threw in thoughtfully. "Normally, when someone transforms into a werewolf, he wouldn't just sleep on but go hunting. You just continued to sleep, hmm?"

Harry sighed inwardly and remained quiet for an instant, before he hesitantly explained, "I had been feeling unwell for some time, and knowing that someone gave me a Pepperup potion and a Dreamless sleep potion. Perhaps because of that I was too out for the werewolf instincts to kick in?"

"You can be glad that I can't take points from Gryffindor during the summer for stealing from my stock or from the hospital wing," Snape growled, before he replied in a more civil tone, "That would be an explanation. Very interesting. Very well, Mr. Potter, I offer you to brew the Wolfsbane potion for you once a month, provided that you agree to work together, test new potions in the area of lycanthropy for me and supply me with information in order to collect data and results for the respective potions."

Seeing that his new guardian and the Healer were smiling, while the Headmaster's eyes were twinkling madly, Harry said, "Thank you for the offer, sir. I agree to work together with you on the matter."

"Very well, Severus and Harry, good luck," Professor Dumbledore spoke up, thoughtfully stroking his beard. "Now I don't agree with Minerva becoming Harry's guardian though. Severus, I'm sorry, but Harry needs you as guardian as well. I shall ask Twinkle to make a connecting door from Harry's room to Severus' living room. That way, Severus can make sure that Harry receives the potion at the right time, and he is also able to quickly help him when he doesn't feel well."

The Potions Master swallowed hard, and Harry just expected him to burst out in anger, when the teacher quietly nodded. '_Oh no, he won't like that at all. Guardian of the student he hates most; that won't be fun_,' Harry thought, looking up in surprise when the professor spoke to him in a civil tone.

"Mr. Potter, come into my quarters after breakfast tomorrow, so that we can speak about the schedule of taking the Wolfsbane potion as well as about our research. Since you're going to become Professor McGonagall's and my ward, I shall try to remedy your infantile attempts at brewing potions during these holidays.

満月の経験

"I don't understand," Harry said to his guardian later that evening, "Professor Snape hated Professor Lupin because he was a werewolf. Why is he willing to work together with me? Is it because of Professor Dumbledore's instruction to become my second guardian?"

Professor McGonagall sighed. "No Harry. Professor Snape's problem with Professor Lupin goes far back into their own time as students, and I hoped in vain that their problems would settle with time. The agreement with you is a completely different matter. Many Potions Masters want to create a cure for lycanthropy, but so far no one has been able to develop such a potion. However, I can imagine that your recent accident and your information about the effects are an enormous first step in the right direction, and Professor Snape probably hopes that with your help he will be able to find a cure for lycanthropy. If he succeeds, you will be healed, and both of you will receive the Order of Merlin."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I don't want the Order of Merlin, but I don't mind Professor Snape getting it if he manages to heal Professor Lupin and me. Anyway, thank you very much, Professor, for taking me in and becoming my guardian in spite of my condition. I have one question by the way. Do you think it would be possible to convince Professor Lupin to return to Hogwarts, if I openly declare that I'm a werewolf too? I'd love to include him into the research for a cure, especially as he has so much more experience being a werewolf than I." '_And I'd love to spend the nights of the full moon together with him in the Shrieking Shack_,' he added to himself.

McGonagall let out a long sigh. "I'll speak with Professors Lupin and Dumbledore, but I can't promise anything."

満月の経験

Harry became quickly used to living together with the teachers and noticed with amazement that he got along with the Potions Master very well. Even when he taught him Potions, Professor Snape was much more understanding and friendly than he had ever been before. To Harry's surprise and great relief, Professor McGonagall managed to talk Professor Lupin into resuming his post as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. The professor did not even accept Harry's offer to openly announce his illness, and the Headmaster even instructed Harry not to tell anyone about it except for his best friends and the teachers.

'_I really need to tell Hermione and Ron_,' Harry decided and hesitantly asked Professor McGonagall if he could invite his two best friends for his birthday. The teacher agreed and even offered that his friends could stay overnight; however, Harry declined, because the day after his birthday was that of the full moon. '_I'm sure that Hermione will take it well, but what is Ron going to say? Will he still be my friend?_' he thought anxiously as he went to bed early on the day before his birthday. '_It's the first time that I can't stay up until midnight to begin my birthday_,' he realised sadly, just feeling too miserable to remain awake anymore, and he quickly drifted off to delirious dreams, involving a trio of one female and two male werewolves.

_tbc..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Unexpected Moonlight Experiences**

**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

_I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes. Thank you very much for your kind comments!  
_

-----

**_I am aware of the fact that this story is not detailed enough for some of my readers; however, when I wrote it more than a month ago, I intended it as a oneshot, which turned into a short story (five chapters) as I wrote it. During the last month, I have been very ill and thus am behind with work and with all of my current stories (except for Lord of the Wind); therefore, I will post the last two chapters of this story like I originally wrote them. Thank you for your understanding._**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Harry's friends arrived early in the morning with the Portkey that Professor McGonagall had made for them.

"Happy Birthday, Harry," Hermione said, pulling him into a bear hug, before she released him and said, "You don't look any better than at the end of the school year. Is that why you're at Hogwarts?"

Harry quietly nodded and turned to Ron, who congratulated him as well and asked, "Where exactly are we, Harry?"

"We're in my own room at Hogwarts," Harry replied, smirking.

"Your room?" Ron interrupted him in disbelief, mumbling, "Leave it to Harry to get as much as his own room at Hogwarts."

"Oh just shut up," Hermione said, frowning, and queried, "Harry, would you please tell us what's wrong?"

Harry sighed. "A few weeks ago, it became clear that I caught lycanthropy." Ignoring Hermione's gasp, he continued, "Professor Lupin must have bitten me that night, although neither he nor I can remember it, and since it would be too dangerous if I remained at the Dursleys as a werewolf..."

"A werewolf?" Ron blurted out in horror.

"That's why lycanthropy means, Ronald," Hermione said sharply. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry for you."

"Oh well, it could be worse. Now McGonagall and Snape are my guardians, and I can live at Hogwarts the whole year," Harry replied, smiling.

"Snape? You must be crazy, mate," Ron threw in disbelievingly. "Well, as long as you don't stay in the dormitory anymore, it should be all right to remain at Hogwarts as a werewolf."

'_Thank Merlin he doesn't know that I already spent a night in the dormitory as a wolf_,' Harry thought, letting out a deep sigh.

Fortunately, McGonagall chose that instant to knock and enter Harry's room to tell the three friends that it was time to attend breakfast in the Great Hall. During the rest of the day, none of the three friends spoke about the matter. Only when it was time for Hermione and Ron to leave, Hermione asked quietly, "Would you mind sending Hedwig to me in case you want to talk about your problem?"

Harry nodded gratefully. "Tomorrow is the night of the full moon, but I'll contact you afterwards," he promised, accepting that the girl once again pulled him into a bear hug.

"You're still my best friend, Harry," she whispered, before she released him from her strong grip.

"Tell me if you need help. I won't tell anyone," Ron promised, causing Harry to smile.

"Thank you, Ron," Harry replied, feeling surprised by his friend's kind words. '_Everyone will notice that I'm sick the day after the full moon anyway though_,' he thought dully.

満月の経験

However, to Harry's relief, due to the Trimagical Tournament that took place at Hogwarts during the new school year, everyone seemed to be too absentminded and busy to notice anything about his ailment, especially as Harry gave up his bed in the dormitory and returned to his own room every night, so that no one would notice that he was missing during the nights of the full moon.

Harry was glad that all Quidditch practice had been cancelled for the school year. '_Thank Merlin_,' he thought. '_I wouldn't be able to fly if it was close to the full moon. I'll have to think of something for the next school year though_.' He spent the nights of the full moon in the Shrieking Shack, even if his guardians assured him that he could as well remain in his own room if he had taken the Wolfsbane potion, and Professor Lupin joined him. After the incident of biting Harry, which he couldn't even remember, he was not willing to take any chance of a repetition. The two werewolves had much fun playing together, although they normally spent most of the night sleeping peacefully next to each other. Sometimes, they went for a nightly walk into the forest, but they never forgot to take the Wolfsbane potion, and they never harmed any human or animal.

満月の経験

It was during the summer holidays, a few weeks after Cedric Diggory won the Trimagical Tournament, that Professor Snape gravely informed his colleagues, who had remained at Hogwarts over the summer, that the Dark Lord had managed to come back. Harry listened in confusion that turned into horror when Snape continued, "Albus, I suggest that you tell Mr. Potter about the prophecy, so that we'll be able to plan something that efficiently involves his condition, which could be the key to the defeat of the Dark Lord."

Harry listened in shock as Professor Dumbledore informed him about the prophecy, only feeling slightly reassured when Professor McGonagall said, "Don't worry, Harry. We're all with you, and we're going to make a plan all together."

"And since the plan that we're going to think of involves your werewolf form, I'm going to fight with you in any case," Professor Lupin added gently.

'_I thought my only problem would be how to take my OWLs in spite of my condition,_' Harry thought, terrified. With his and Professor Lupin's help, Professor Snape was making a huge progress with the potion, which Harry had discovered by chance when he had his potions accident at the end of his third year. By the beginning of Harry's fifth year, the Potions Master completed a potion, which helped the two werewolves to get over the aftermath of their transformation immediately. If they took the potion right after transforming back, they were even able to attend classes just as if nothing had happened during the night. However, during the two weeks before the full moon Harry still felt tired and sick, and he was more susceptible to all kind of illnesses than he had been before becoming a werewolf.

'_Thank Merlin that Professor Lupin came back to Hogwarts_,' Harry thought each time when they spent the nights together in their werewolf forms, wondering if the Headmaster was right, who at the beginning of Harry's fifth year said that Professor Lupin had probably overcome the charm that Voldemort had placed on the Defence post by infecting Harry with lycanthropy, the clue to the power that he was going to use to win the war.

While Professor Snape, with whom the two werewolves had built up a relationship of mutual understanding and trust, together with Lupin and Harry worked on a plan to get to the Dark Lord during the full moon, Professor Dumbledore searched the help of the goblins and elves to research on Horcruxes.

満月の経験

It was during the first full moon after his OWLs that Harry woke up to strange noises and smell. When he lazily opened his eyes, he saw that Professor Lupin was fast asleep next to him; however, the Headmaster, a goblin and an elf were standing behind him.

"It's all right, Harry, go back to sleep. We need to cast a spell at you that'll help with your condition," Dumbledore said soothingly, and Harry obediently closed his eyes again.

He heard a triple whispered incantation, before his scar erupted in pain and everything turned black. When he woke up, not realising that a whole week had passed, while he had been in a coma, making everyone worry about him, he found himself in his own bed in his room. Professor Snape was sitting in a comfortable looking armchair beside his bed, deeply engrossed in a Potions journal.

"Professor," Harry whispered, reaching for his glasses.

"Harry!" Snape blurted out in surprise, quickly closing his journal. "Welcome back to the world of the living."

"What happened?" Harry asked in confusion. "I was in the Shrieking Shack, or...?"

The professor gently explained that the Headmaster, a goblin and an elder elf had cast a spell at him to vanish the Horcrux that had been buried with him. "Now, all the Horcruxes are gone, and you should be able to completely vanquish the Dark Lord if you can manage to kill him once. Professor Lupin, the Headmaster and I have been working on a plan, which we intend to pull through with during one of the next full moon nights."

"Oh, I see," Harry replied in confusion. "Excuse me, sir, but what am I supposed to do?"

The Potions Master smirked. "I shall tell you as soon as necessary. There are still a few preparations that I have to deal with, before I can be sure that our plan will work out."

_tbc..._


	5. Chapter 5

**Unexpected Moonlight Experiences**

**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

_I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes. Thank you very much for your kind comments!  
_

-----

**_As I said in the previous chapter, I know that this story is not detailed enough for some of my readers; however, when I wrote it more than a month ago, I intended it as a oneshot, which turned into a short story (five chapters) as I wrote it. During the last month, I have been very ill and thus am behind with work and with all of my current stories (except for Lord of the Wind); therefore, I will post the last chapter of this story like I originally wrote them. Maybe I'll re-write the story at a later time after finishing some of my other incomplete stories. Thank you for your understanding._**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

It was two months later that Professor Snape instructed Harry not to take the Wolfsbane potion for once. During the three days until the full moon, Harry didn't only feel as unwell as normal, but he could hardly sleep during the nights, because he was so worried that he wouldn't get to the Shrieking Shack on time or would for some reason leave the Shack during the night and accidentally bite someone without even knowing what he was doing.

During the last night before the full moon, Harry was so worried that he couldn't sleep at all, and when Professor Snape came to check on him at two o'clock in the morning, like he always did when Harry was feeling extremely unwell or sick, Harry voiced his concern.

"Don't worry, Harry," Snape said in a soft voice. "Professor Lupin has taken the Wolfsbane potion, and he is much stronger than you, so that it won't be a problem for him to keep you from harming others if necessary. He knows that you did not take the potion, and he is going to help you when you have to attack the Dark Lord. Don't worry, and leave everything to Professor Lupin. You and everyone else will be all right." '_Hopefully except for the Dark Lord_,' he thought to himself.

満月の経験

Late in the evening of the full moon's night, Snape felt the Dark Mark on his left arm burn. He quickly grabbed the phial that he was supposed to take to the Dark Lord that night, hurried to the Apparition border and apparated away.

"I managed to finish your potion, my Lord," he said, inclining his head, before he handed the phial to the Dark Lord.

"Very well, thank you, Severus," the Dark Lord replied. "As you might know, I am very suspicious. Please take a sip of it first, before I shall take the potion."

Severus took the phial back and obediently took a sip, knowing that the counter potion, which he had taken earlier, would nullify the effects of the potion immediately. Seeing that his Potions Master remained unharmed, the Dark Lord gratefully accepted the potion and eagerly gulped it down, unaware of the immediate bone weakening effects it caused.

Only when the Dark Lord had nearly finished the potion, Severus whispered the activating password for the Portkey turned phial, smirking contentedly when the Dark Lord vanished from the sight.

満月の経験

In the meantime, Harry was putting up a fight with Professor Lupin. He could smell that the other wolf was part of his own pack, but why did the wolf restrain him to that room? He wanted to go hunting, but the other wolf kept telling him that he was tired and should rest for a while. All of a sudden, Harry smelled meat, human meat nearby. Looking around, he saw a human, who was just struggling to stand up from the floor. Glad that the other wolf for once did not try to keep him down but instead seemed to decide to help him, he jumped on top of the raw meat and tucked in with gusto.

Lupin observed Harry tear Voldemort into pieces. Due to the potion that his colleague had given the evil monster, he didn't have a chance to do anything against the werewolf that feverishly avenged his parents and hundreds of other people during a full moon night.

When Harry and Lupin transformed back in the morning, Harry looked around the room in confusion, noticing the bones that were scattered all over the room. "Professor, what are all these bones? What happened?" he asked quietly.

"Congratulations, Harry. You managed to vanquish Voldemort during the night," Lupin gently informed the boy, who turned pale at the revelation.

"I'm going to be sick," he uttered, before he threw up violently.

満月の経験

As much as Harry hated to think about what he had done to Voldemort, he was glad that the evil was gone and that his sole task remained to attend school and take his NEWTs in spite of being a werewolf. '_Well, now that Voldemort is gone, I could really try to work on helping Snape to find a cure for lycanthropy_,' he decided and spent the rest of the holidays assisting his guardian in the Potions lab, knowing that his abilities of brewing had improved greatly since Snape had become his guardian.

It was on the first of September that Harry woke up, feeling much worse than usually before the full moon. '_The full moon is still three days away_,' he thought, blinking, '_but my throat and my chest are sore and my head feels as if it was going to explode. I just hope I won't get sick now, right at the beginning of my sixth year_.' He slowly dragged himself out of bed, only to lie down again when he felt the world spin around. '_I'll just stay in bed for the time being_,' he decided, and when Professor McGonagall looked into his room to ask if he was ready for breakfast, he only shook his head, wincing at the pain that the small movement caused.

"Harry, are you feeling so bad today?" McGonagall asked in concern and sat on the edge of his bed to closely look at him.

"I feel sick," Harry whispered, grudgingly opening his achy eyes just a little bit.

His guardian carefully laid her hand on Harry's forehead, letting out a small gasp. "Harry, you're burning up. I'll ask Severus to check on you." Seeing that Harry seemed to feel too bad to protest, she quickly called her colleague.

"Harry," Harry heard his other guardian's voice and let out a small groan. "Open up and let me take your temperature," the soft voice ordered him and made him comply automatically.

Harry shivered violently when the professor slid an ice-cold stick his tongue and gripped his wrist with equally ice-cold hands. He barely noticed that Snape pulled the thermometer out and urgently asked McGonagall to call Pomfrey, but he felt miserable enough to not care what was happening.

"Harry is suffering from the Squid's flu," Pomfrey said gravely. "He has already taken the Wolfsbane last night, is that correct?"

"Yes," the Potions Master replied darkly.

"I'm sorry, but he needs to take the potion for the animal's flu; otherwise he might not make it," the Healer said firmly. "I'll take him with me to closely monitor him in case that the two potions interact strangely, or do you have any idea about possible effects, Severus?"

"I'm sorry, Poppy, but I have no clue. I'll try to join you on an hourly basis in case he needs any other potions," Snape replied in his soft baritone voice, making feel Harry very reassured.

Harry spent the following three days in a small single room in the hospital wing, feeling too miserable to even think about the matter that the new school year had already begun and that his friends were back at Hogwarts. In the evening of the full moon's night, Pomfrey decided that he was still too ill to be moved to the Shrieking Shack. "Even if he is in his wolf's form, I can check on him and spell potions into his system if necessary, and if the Wolfsbane didn't work, he'd be too ill to even move and I could easily stun him," she explained to her colleagues, who agreed without even bothering to ask Harry for his opinion.

"Go to sleep, Harry, and don't worry; everything will be all right," McGonagall said soothingly, gently bathing his hot face with a cool cloth.

"Too dangerous for everyone," Harry croaked, lazily trying to open his sore eyes just a little bit.

"Harry, it would be dangerous for you to spend the night in the Shack, because your fever is still dangerously high and you'll be safer if Madam Pomfrey is able to monitor you. I'll be here as well in case you need any more potions," Snape said in a firm but gentle voice. "Try to sleep. You need much rest if you don't want to miss much more of your sixth Hogwarts year."

Harry sighed in relief and allowed himself to drift off to sleep, knowing from the smells around himself that Pomfrey and Snape spent large parts of the night with him. When he woke up after a good night's sleep, the Healer, his two guardians and Professor Lupin were at his side.

"Harry, how are you feeling?" Snape asked gently.

"I feel a bit better, and my limbs don't hurt at all," Harry replied in confusion. "Did you already give me the after-full-moon potion?"

"No," Snape replied smirking. "We came to the conclusion that you don't need it this time."

Seeing that Harry looked wearily at the Potions Master from half-open glassy eyes, McGonagall said softly, "Harry, you didn't transform last night."

"I what?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"You're currently only suffering from the Squid's flu but not from the lycanthropy," Pomfrey explained, smiling. "You seem to be cured; that's at least what my diagnostic spells told me.

満月の経験

During the following weeks, Harry still couldn't believe it and was very afraid of the full moon, since his guardians had decided that he shouldn't take the Wolfsbane in order to see if he was really cured. However, when he spent the night in the Shrieking Shack together with Professor Lupin, who had taken a combined potion of the Wolfsbane and the potion for the animal's flu, both of them remained in their human forms.

Over the next few years, Snape and Harry brewed many doses of the newly invented potion and cured all the werewolves, receiving the Order of Merlin first class for their Wolvescure potion. By the time Harry finished his NEWTs, Headmaster Dumbledore retired, McGonagall became the new Headmistress, and Harry accepted to work as her successor. With the help of Professors Potter, Lupin and Snape and a huge amount of money, which Snape and Harry had donated to Hogwarts from the sales revenue of the Wofscure potion, Headmistress McGonagall rebuilt the Shrieking Shack that was not needed for werewolves anymore to the world's first magical library.

**The End**


End file.
